Gotta make use of that mid-range and post game. He was just as elite at the mid-range as CP, but thanks to MDA/Morey, he's completely gone away from that. Bringing back the mid-range absolutely has to be a point of emphasis next year.
With D'Antoni likely moving on, maybe they hire a coach that'll help James reintegrate the mid-range back into his game. Would be huge for Harden to use every tool in his box, instead of overusing the most difficult one.
Adding back the mid range would open up his game so much even though he’s already one of the best offensive players of all time. Watching those 2015 highlights he was just a magician in those games
What Morey and Dantoni doesn't understand is that Mid range shots are not bad shots, bad mid range shots are bad shots. Turn around fade away jumper 1 foot in front of the 3 point line is a bad shot. A wide open mid range from a stop and pop at the top of the free throw line is a great shot. Hardens mid range was that he beat the man and he stop and popped. Great shot. Dantoni sucks.
So it’s important to know that James hit like 35% on his midrange shot in 2015. He was not elite, it was not money. It was bad. Now, would it open up his game a little more? Yeah maybe, I could definitely see it. And if he works on it, a midrange jumper at lets say 40% is better than a contested step back 3 for the last shot of the game. But just to put things into perspective, James was never very good at the midrange. I think him slimming down and moving off ball is a bigger priority.
Here's the problem with this. 2020 playoff Harden scored more points, got more assist, more boards, lower turnovers, played better D, and get this - was more efficient then 2015 playoff Harden. Harden just had his best postseason performance of his career. The man can't do everything. WB was a bum, our depth was unbelievably awful, our D wasn't good enough, our rebounding wasn't good enough. The team wasn't good enough, Harden individually was the best he's ever been.
He was not the problem, yet you make it out like he was. He averaged 30 points against the Lakers. He was also getting assists, rebounds, steals and blocks. He was also shooting efficiently against the Lakers in most games. The difference was AD and Lebron had big help from their supporting cast.
his percentage was low in 14-15, although I do recall him hitting many big shots in the 4th from midrange that year he’s been at least 40% from midrange every year since then tho except for 17-18 where he was 39% from midrange he’s just a much better player than he was in 14-15, so I think he should reincorporate the midrange and postup back into his game...he doesn’t need to become Demar Derozan, but 2 or 3 a game wouldn’t hurt, especially when his 3 is off, he’s struggling to score, or teams are giving him that shot...he can create it so easily
Unless major changes are made around Harden on the court and with the coaching staff Harden will never win a championship. This years team wasn't even mature enough lol.
End thread....this dude cannot get it through his head that anymore production than what we got with CONSTANT double teams isnt gonna work. If anything he needs to just stop waiting for the double teams to come to him and either pass our faster or just straight attack them.
This guy's obsession with Harden.....is so sickening, that even when we watched a dude have his best post season and his "second best player" be trash as can be. Still talk about moving him off ball. News flash to you, MOVING HIM OFF BALL WOULD NOT HAVE WON US THIS GAME. 2-3 MID RANGE SHOTS WOULD NOT HAVE WON US THIS GAME. I dont think I've ever seen a guy have negative win shares in the playoffs....but here we are.
Also does anyone look at Westbrook, Gordon or Rivers and see competent passing? And you expect them to get James the ball while everyone knows we are trying to get it to him.
A couple comments. - not sure why everyone is focused on mid range game? The difference to me is more about pace. I’m all for limited mid range game. It would be nice to have because you can see in the playoffs more options is better but to me the biggest difference was pace - stats are just stats. Harden is better now, but his teammates aren’t. Not because of talent. That team around him wasn’t super talented. But because of system. If Harden iso ball with 4 other guys at the 3 point line is better for Harden it’s not necessarily better for the team. See the Lakers constantly doubling Harden and no one else knowing what to do. Yet a few times Jeff Green cut or PJ actually passed up a three and drove it actually worked out. Hmmmm.... - entertainment. Even when they are hitting threes current Rockets offensive style is boring af. And hard to watch. - Terrence Jones. I know the Rockets gave him another shot. He must not be that good anymore... which is somewhat odd. He had all the tools to be a solid modern NBA PF or center.
This bs again. The aspect of psychology is completely absent in analytics. Versitility is important because in the playoffs over a 7 game series teams going to hone in on the nuances that they wouldn't during a regular season. 3>2 works more the greater the sample size. When you shrink the sample size 3>2 isn't nearly as effective and is far more volitile. So when you shrink the sample size to the last 5 minutes, 3>2 goes almost out the window and the best available shot is the best shot.
Harden is better for the regular season with this play style. Hence before this post season his 2015 post season was the most efficient. It becomes less effective in the playoffs. Mod range would help versitility. Read my above comment to understand my reasoning.
Klay Thompson, curry must be ****ing idiots for using the midrange. CF knows better than their rings and NBA experience
Umm... Harden's ts% was 62% in 2015 postseason. His career average true shooting percentage with the Rockets in the playoffs is 58%... This is the only post season he bested that true shooting percentage with a smaller sample size mind you as he went to the WCF that year and played more games.
